CONSPIRACY Definition & Meaning

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conspiracy

[kuhn-spir-uh-see]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

plural

conspiracies

the act of conspiring.
Synonyms: ,
an unlawful, harmful, or evil plan formulated in secret by two or more persons; plot.
a combination of persons for such an unlawful, harmful, or evil purpose.
He joined the conspiracy to overthrow the government.
Law.��an agreement by two or more persons to commit a crime, fraud, or other wrongful act.
any concurrence in action; combination in bringing about a given result.

conspiracy

/ kənˈspɪrəsɪ, kənˌspɪrəˈtɔːrɪəl /

noun

a secret plan or agreement to carry out an illegal or harmful act, esp with political motivation; plot
the act of making such plans in secret

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Other 51�Թ� Forms

conspirative adjective
conspiratorial adjective
conspiratory adjective
preconspiracy noun
��ǲ�ˌ��辱��ˈ�ٴǰ�� adverb
��ǲ�ˈ��辱��ٴǰ� noun

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51�Թ� History and Origins

Origin of conspiracy¹

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English conspiracie, probably from Anglo-French; conspire, -acy; replacing Middle English conspiracioun; conspiration

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Synonym Study

Conspiracy, plot, intrigue, cabal all refer to surreptitious or covert schemes to accomplish some end, most often an evil one. A conspiracy usually involves a group entering into a secret agreement to achieve some illicit or harmful objective: a vicious conspiracy to control prices. A plot is a carefully planned secret scheme, usually by a small number of persons, to secure sinister ends: a plot to seize control of a company. An intrigue usually involves duplicity and deceit aimed at achieving either personal advantage or criminal or treasonous objectives: the petty intrigues of civil servants. Cabal refers either to a plan by a small group of highly-placed persons to overthrow or control a government, or to the group of persons themselves: a cabal of powerful lawmakers.

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Journalist Kat Tenbarge joins the conversation to discuss how online influencers fuel smear campaigns and how their videos serve as a gateway to conspiracy thinking and right-wing ideology.

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“This conspiracy involved the Bureau of Prisons and was apparently orchestrated by the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” the motion says.

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James 'Jimmy' Sheen, 40, pleaded guilty to burglary, transferring criminal property and conspiracy to do the same in 2024, while Michael Jones, 39, was found guilty of burglary in March.

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Nathan Hochman on Wednesday announced charges that included assault on a peace officer, resisting arrest, conspiracy to commit vandalism, vandalism, commercial burglary and misdemeanor reckless driving against five individuals related to the protests.

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To the dismay of victims' families, the DoJ said Boeing would admit to "conspiracy to obstruct and impede" an investigation by the US Federal Aviation Administration and would pay more than $1.1bn in fines.

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Related 51�Թ�s

plot��
scheme��
sedition��
treason��

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When To Use

What does��conspiracy mean?

Conspiracy most commonly means a secret plan by multiple people to do something evil or illegal.Conspiracy can also refer to the act of making such plans—the act of conspiring—or to the group making the plans. The people involved can be called conspirators.In a legal context, conspiracy refers to an agreement by two or more people to commit a crime.A conspiracy theory is an explanation of an event that claims it was the result of a secret and often complex and evil plot by multiple people. People who promote or formulate conspiracy theories often reject the standard or accepted explanation of unexplained or unusual events and claim that they are the doing of evil conspirators secretly conspiring behind the scenes.Both conspiracy and conspiracy theory are often used in the context of politics.Example: This isn’t the work of one man—it’s a conspiracy, and there are more people in on it than you think!

conspiracist conspiracy of silence

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